Housing · Shenzhen app guide
Anjuke in Shenzhen: compare rentals before booking a viewing
Anjuke is a useful tool for comparing Shenzhen rental listings and understanding what agents are advertising in a specific area. However, a successful search requires more than just a low headline price; you need to check the room layout, exact location, and the total cost before you commit to a viewing.
What Anjuke allows you to search for
The provider’s app listing covers rental and sale searches, maps, nearby properties, metro-based property searches, and panoramic viewing options. It includes several property types, such as homes, apartments, and commercial spaces. Make sure you are specifically looking for residential rentals, not browsing sales or office listings.
The Shenzhen rental website offers filters by district and rental type. Listings show details like room arrangement, floor, size, and the advertised monthly rent. Use these details to compare potential properties consistently, but always ask the contact to confirm any critical information.
How to set up a repeatable search profile
Keep your requirements written down before you start using the app: your move-in date, desired lease length, budget, household size, whether you have pets, and the maximum commute time you can handle. Use these same requirements for every contact. If you don't, your search might drift toward attractive flats that fail one of your core needs.
Install the app from an official store or start on the Shenzhen rental website. Account prompts and contact methods can change. If the app requires phone verification, follow the displayed process; do not assume a foreign mobile number or passport will work in every account flow.
- Select 深圳 and the rental category 租房.
- Choose a district, station, or building name that fits your commute. Save the Chinese spelling.
- Distinguish between 整租 (a whole-property rental) and 合租 (a shared rental).
- Apply your budget and room requirements, then keep a small set of comparable listings rather than contacting every single result.
Comparing properties accurately
A room in a shared flat and an entire apartment are fundamentally different products, even if the photos look similar. Check what is private and what is shared, and whether the listed size refers to your specific room or the entire property. Ask who else uses the kitchen and bathroom if that matters to your lifestyle.
Write down the same five facts for every candidate: the exact building name, the monthly total cost, the total upfront amount, including any advance rent and fees, the earliest move-in date, and the minimum lease term. If a contact offers a substitute property, treat it as a completely new candidate and repeat these checks. A similar address or photo does not mean it meets your requirements.
Compare the walking distance to a usable metro entrance, rather than relying on a general 'near the metro' description. Factor in time for lifts, the estate entrance, and any large road crossings. If you commute during peak hours, visit the area during those times before making a decision.
Requesting a precise viewing
Ask if the pictured unit is still available, request its exact address, and confirm the price conditions before you travel. A useful message is: “我想看这套房，请确认照片对应的房间还在出租，并告诉我具体地址和全部费用。” This asks to view the property and asks the contact to confirm that the photographed room is available, along with its address and all charges.
Give the contact a limited selection of viewing times and group visits by area. Keep the listing link and the contact’s name in your notes. After each viewing, record any issues immediately; it is easy to confuse several similar apartments.
Separating rent from the true cost of living
Request the deposit, the rent payment schedule, management fees, agency or service fees, and utility billing method separately. Confirm which furniture and appliances will stay, who is responsible for repairs, and how the deposit is returned. There is no single fee schedule you should assume for every listing.
During the visit, check the ventilation, water pressure, signs of dampness, street noise, and the locks. Ask to see the agreement before paying, and verify the identity or authority of the person offering the home. A listing page helps you find a property; it cannot answer these practical questions for you.
Using official channels for final checks
Shenzhen’s government guide describes the housing rental supervision platform’s contract-filing services and a way to look up registered rental enterprises. Refer to the official instructions if you need to check these processes, rather than relying solely on an agent’s explanation.
For foreign tenants, also ask which accommodation-registration documents the landlord will provide and who will help arrange them. Keep this discussion separate from negotiating the rent, so a low price does not distract from a practical moving-in problem.